lay aside

1. Give up, abandon, as in He laid aside all hopes of winning first prize. [First half of 1400s]

2. Also, lay away; lay by. Set apart for a reason, save for the future, as in They lay aside enough to pay the rent, or Because coffee prices were rising, she laid by enough for a month, or The store laid away the winter coat I wanted. [Early 1700s] The first variant gave rise, about 1970, to the term layaway plan, in which merchandise is laid away for a buyer who pays a deposit and receives it when payment is made in full. Also see lay down, def. 4; set aside.

lay aside

v.

1. To stop being actively engaged with something: I will lay aside my reading and go for a walk when I finish this chapter. The lifeguard laid the binoculars aside and jumped in the water.

2. To abandon something, especially a plan, hope, or desire; give up something: The marooned sailors had lain aside any hope of being saved. When the loan fell through, they laid their plans of buying a house aside.

3. To save something for the future: I lay aside part of my paycheck every week to save for a new car. Let's lay part of your allowance aside to pay for the movies.

If we can remember every day to lay aside our self-centredness by trying to be more understanding of others, more compassionate, more caring, more patient, more respectful of other people's views, and try to do acts of kindness whenever we can, we will be making the world a better place, and making worthwhile the sacrifice of those who lay down their life for us.

Remember, this is the chapter in Hebrews that begins, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us" (12:1).

UNITED States and Russian leaders pledged yesterday to unite in the fight against terrorism as experts said the horrendous events of Tuesday could push the countries to finally lay aside lingering Cold War mistrust in pursuit of a common enemy.

The prosecution team told the jury to lay aside their sympathy for all the people concerned - for the Sacco family and for the "skinny little thing", a name Ms Sacco's mother Lorna had called her during her evidence.

I appeal to you to lay aside your liberal bias at such a crucial time, take up the mental frame of our president, and manifest confidence as he does in Secretary Rumsfeld, who, by the way, serves our country without salary.

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